Israeli far-right activist awarded $56,000 after being called 'Nazi'

04/16/2018

3:30:18 PM

Updated on

04/16/2018

3:30:28 PM

Written by

i24NEWS

Israeli right wing activist Itamar Ben-Gvir is detained by police after shouting slogans at White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, during his visit to Jerusalem's old city Thursday, May 27, 2010.AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner

A Tel Aviv gas station attendant must pay a far-right Israeli activist NIS 200,000 ($56,000) for giving the Nazi salute and calling him the “Fuhrer”, a court ruled on Monday.

Itamar Ben Gvir is an attorney and leader of the far-right Oztma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, but is known to the public chiefly for his defense of fellow far-right activists accused of hate crimes against Palestinians and other minorities.

His clients have included several youths suspected of burning a Palestinian family alive in their home, suspects charged with setting fire to churches and Benzi Gosptein, an anti-assimilation activist who tries to prevent Jewish women having relationships with Arab men.

Last year, while paying for gas and a can of soda, Ben Gvir was recognized by a male attendant identified as Jacky, Hadashot News reported.

Jacky called Ben Gvir a “Nazi” and told his colleagues that they were greeting the Fuhrer, the title which Hitler bestowed on himself after coming to power in Germany.

While serving Ben Gvir, he also reportedly made the Nazi salute.

According to the station, Ben Gvir filed a lawsuit against the employee, the gas station manager and Yellow, the chain that owns the store.

The attendant ignored all summons and did not respond to the suit, and a judge at the Jerusalem’s Magistrate’s Court ordered he pay Ben Gvir the sum as well as NIS 10,000 ($2,800) in court costs.

Ben Gvir said that the court’s ruling showed that “anyone who calls a Jew a Nazi and gives the Nazi salute will have to pay from his own pocket.”